Breech-loading ordnance



(No Model.)

11.12.111111ST.- BREEGH LOADING ORDNANGE.

No. 533,171. l Patented Jan. 29, 1895.

i "UNITED-STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRIS P.' IIURST, or SUMMIT, MISSISSIPPI.

BRI-zfici-l-LOADINeoRDN-ANc'E.z

SPECIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. e3,171,datei January 29, 1 895. Application Mea August 17,1392. serai 110.443.329. (nommen i To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRIS P. HURST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Summit, in the county of Pike and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breech-Loading Ordnance;

Vand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in-` vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to'make and use the same. Y

This invention relates to breech loading ordnance and particularly to heavy guns and Y the system of using them with high service or light practice charges as occasion may rel quire.

Figure l is a longitudinal sectional View of l"the rear end of my eight-inch high power J breech loading ride, embodying the main features of my invention, usinga Service charge. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the rear of an eight-inch gun using a single or practice charge. Fig. 3 is a Similar view of a similar gun using a rapid fire gun adapted for service or practice use. Fig. 4 is a perspective of Fig. 3 showing the lockingdevice. Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the rear end of the telescopic tube and gas check shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a modification of breech block of Fig. l. v

Referring to the drawings A represents the body of the gun which may be of any construction-'dotted lines Fig. l and this attachment to telescope with the tubular wall or partition extending forward from the breech block and separate the respective charges may have a buer g on its forward end indicating it may be jacketed and built up. The breech block B is of the well known inter rupted or mutilated sc rew variety, and may be made in one or more pieces, the rear end of which is, asy shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6,

' a metallic or other suitable cartridge case D.

The forward portion of the breech block may have made integral with it or Secured to vit in any suitable way a tube E, a gas cheek pad E fitted over its bore, Fig. l, and the main charge F is placed in the space forward of breech block B--fthe forward portion of charge chamber G having a seat for the projectileH the forward end resting in the bore proper and the rear end centered and supported in the enlarged charge chamber by studs or an annular wad or ring I of any suitable-material such as wood or felt or paper.

vThe telescopic tube K may be a part ofthe projectile or independent of it or secure in the gun as shown in Fig. l, and its rear end is slightly enlarged and then turned inward is intended to be blown out when fired, or be driven thereon by the'explosion.

The breech block B may be secured and locked in any suitable manner and so may breech block B', and also B dotted lines Fig. 3. 4

' As shown in Figs. l and 2 breech block B is provided with a firing pin a, which may be `made to operate automatically, and the breech mechanism may be provided with suitable extractors or ejectors c (dotted lines), and the cartridge cases being of the standard centerfire variety may be used, as Shown, with or without the projectile H.

For practice each gun is provided with an eXtra breech block B chambered to contain a loaded cartridge 'as shown in Fig. 2, and tube E is ried and adapted to fire accurately and rapidly the regulation ammunition used in the ordinary rapid-fire guns of similar caliber.

In Fig. 3 I show how a rapid re gun can be made todo service in an S-inch rifle either for practice, or in the case of the chase of the big gun being damaged in action, or from other cause being unservieeable, a smaller gun for service is run into the breech and locked in position by the Sliding wedge M, (Fig. 3,) which is prevented from working out of Slotted portion of breechv block and corresponding slotted parts of the walls of the gun by the spring catch N. The screw threaded and slotted band O is the equivalent of the breech block B and may be lnade to take the place of the trunnion band or may be shrunk IOO on the gun hot or screwed on or fitted as a loose sleeve and the gun is centered in the powder chamber of the larger gun by the soft metal ring P which should be made to fit the chamber snug and compresses spring P when the gun recoils through band O in tiring. The smaller gun may be specially designed to fit certain guns either on board ship or on shore, and in Fig. 4 the band O may fit loosely or be permanently attached to the gun and the wedge M is held in position by the collar R, though other devices may be used for this purpose. n

For drill or target practice any size, style and caliber of breech loading gun or charge carrying barrel may be provided with a light screw-threaded breech closure or breech block to hold the barrel in the breech of the gun; and the central portion, or the muzzle section of the barrel, may be centered and supported in the gun chamber by any means, preferably by a band P, and with small caliber barrels, extending through a central longitudinal openin g, the band maybe omitted-the breech block supporting the barrel.

It is apparent many modifications may be made without departing from the letter and spirit and scope of my invention as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6.

In Fig. 6 I show how a rear extension of the breech block may be made to contain the primary charge C and the tube K being of suiicient length the main charge F could be contained in the charge chamber (dotted lines) forward'of the breech block and thus dispense with the innertube E. Dotted lines indicate this breech block has a secondary breech mechanism and could be placed in Fig. l without alteration of the gun.

'Ihe central idea of this invention is by extending the ordinary breech block rearwardly I get a propelling charge within the breech block or its equivalent a rapid fire or practice gun, and I desire to protect the invention without regard to the rearward form of the breech block extension or the gun to be used therein, or whether or not the breech block extension carries the primary, auxiliary or main charge, it being adapted to contain the main charge by elongating or enlarging the rear extension, as shown in dotted lines Fig. 6.

The invention illustrated and described herein largely consists in using in any class of breech loading riiied or smooth bored guns plural propelling charges divided and separated into primary and auxiliary or main charges and secured by plural breech blocks, so as to use the maximum propelling material the strength 0f the gun will permit, and I do not desire to limit myself as to the location of the primary, auxiliary or supplementary cartridge-charged charge-chamber C the rear of which is closed and secured by the primary, supplemental or auxiliary breech block B', as shown in Fig. 1, and described herein, as it is apparent this feature of my invention can be applied and placed in any desired place or position upon the gun without departing from the letter and spirit and scope of my invention, and I claim it regardless of its location upon the gun, or whether or not the supplemental breech block B closes the primary or auxiliary cartridge-charged chamber, as it is apparent it may close either chamber.

I claim- 1. A breech closure or breech-block for J.breech-loading guns having a central longitudinal opening carrying therein a chargecarrying barrel and means to support and center said barrel within the chamber of the gun, substantially as described.

2. A breech closure or breech block for breech loading guns having acharge-carryingbarrel and provided with a centering and supporting band or ring forward of said breechblock, substantially as described.

3. A breech block as B for breech loading guns carrying a gas check asE on its forward end and having therein a breech loading charge chamber extending therethrough and secured at the rear by an independent breech closing mechanism,substantially asdescribed.

4. A breech block for breech loading guns having its rear end extended beyond the bore of the gun, said extension chambered to contain a propelling charge, substantially as described. l

5. A breech block having a charge chamber through its body, said body carrying on its forward end a charge carrying barrel the bore of which is continuous with said charge chamber and an independent breech mechanism at the rear thereof to close said chamber, substantially as described.

6. A breech block and means to operate and secure the same in the gun, said breech block carrying a charge chamber therein and having at its rear an independent breech block provided with a firing and ejecting mechanism, substantially as described.

7. A breech block for securing the forward charge and chambered to contain the rearward charge and having on its front end a gas check interposed between said forward charge and the breech block to prevent the backward liow of gas when the gun is red, substantially as described.

8. A breech block having a rear extension thereon extending beyond the bore of the gun and carrying a charge within the block secured by an independent breech block at the rear thereof and a charge in the gun forward therefrom and means interposed between the base of the projectile and the breech block to separate said charges until tired, substantially as described.

9. A breech loading gun having plural charge chambers one of which is the breech-v block, the latter charge communicating, when tired, through said breech block to a charge forward thereof, substantially as described.

10. A breech loading gun having a charge chamber forward of its breech block, said gun having an auxiliary breech-loading cartridge- IOO l'IO

-- charged therein by a supplemental breech block, substantiallyy as described.

Y11.` A gun havinga charge chamber forward of thebreecl-block, another charge chamber to the rear of the. former and Within the 'Freech-block' and al tubular wallvextending rom the breech-blocktothe base ofthe pro- I jectile, entirely separating the charges inthe ro respective charge chambers until the starting -of the projectile-byrng,substantiallyas described. l

12.` A gun ehaunbered for the charge forward of itsbreech block, said breech block r 5 ,carryinganadditionaLcharge therein, and means as I on projectile H to support therear end of the projectile inthe forward portion -of said enlarged chamber and center the samev until fired, substantially as described. 13. A breech loading gun having plural breech blocks securing` plural charges, said charges being separated, until fired, by an independent attachment extending rearward from the base of the projectile, substantially z5 as described. a

14. A breech loading gun having plural charges 'secured by plural breech blocks, said charges separated, until tired, by an independent .rod extending rearward beneath the 3o base of the projectile and means on thelowerend of said rod to check 'the forward 'owgof gas, substantially as described.A

15. A-gun having a breech blockY securing a charge forward thereof and carrying within 3 5 itself an additional eharge. secured by an in-.

dependent breech block and a telescopic partition extending rearward from the base of the projectile to the breech block separating'A said charges until tired, substantially 4as .de-

4o scribed'. l l

16. A breechloading gun having its plural cha'rgesseparated from each other, until fired, by a tube extending rearwardlybeneath the base - 'Countersignem JOHN S. SnYMoUR. j

Commissioner of Patents.

Corrections in Letters Patent No.\53h3,i7i.

chamber, said cartridge 'securedt base of the projectile, a gas check thimble at the lower end of said, tube adapted to be 475V driven thereon by the explosion, substantially, as described. I

17. A breech loading gun, the breech blockv and corresponding interrupted threads within'V y the rear screw-threaded walls of the gunand lock the same, substantially as described.

20. Ina breech-loading gun ahreech block having a sliding bolt operating between itsv slotted screw-threads to lock the saine inthe gun and a spring to secure the'boltV in posi-'6g tion, substantially as described.

,21. A breech loading gun having itsplura. charges separated from each other, until tired, by an extension forward from the breech l.

block to the base of the projectile, Ysaid extei1- 7o substantially as described; j

22. A breech loading gunhavingits plural" chargessepafated from eachfothergnn ti'lred sion having a buifer as gf on its'forwardend,

by a tube extending forward fron1 .the breech .75

to and-beneath the base of 'the projectile and means on the loner end of said tube to check the forward dow of gas, substantially as de v scribed.

`In testimony whereof Iaffix mysgnature'ie in presence otwo witnesses." f

' HARRIS P. Hunsr.;

Witnesses; P. W. RALL'EY,

DELACY.

Itis certied that iff-Letters Patent No. 533,171, granted January 29, 1895, upon the I application of Harris P. Hurst, of Summit, Mississippi,for an improvementin Brocch- Loading Drdnance, errors appear in the printed specification requiringccrrection as follows :y In line 54;, page 1, and lines-94 and 119, page A2 4the .word bore 7 should read and that the said-Letters Patent should be read with thesecorrections therein that the vsaine may conform to the record of the casein thePatentOce. j

Signed, conntersigned, and sealed this *12thvdayofI February, A. D. 1895.

JN0. M. neurones,l Assistant Secretary of the Interior.

It is certified that i'Lctters Patent No, 533,l71, gianted January 29, 1895, upon che application of Hai-ris P. Horst, of Summit, Mississipp,'for au impl-overnam in hrsccolb Loading Ordnance, erros afppeag' i the pxfinted soecicatiou rcquiringcorrecbion as follows z Inline 54, page 1, and 1ii1cs494 and 119, pago 2 the .word boro should .Tread base and thai; the said Letters Patent should be read with bocconi-motion@ therein that thesame may conform to the fecord of the case in the Paltentmcc.

Signed, countcrsigned, and scaled this 12th .dayof' February, A. D. 1895..

[SEAL] JN0. M. REYNOLDS,

. Assistant Secreta?? of the Interior. f 'Countersigned:

JOHN S. SEYMOUR.

Commissioner of Patents. 

